Top qualifier Coughlin exits Norwalk after quarterfinals (NHRA/JEGS)

Top qualifier Coughlin exits Norwalk after quarterfinals

NORWALK,  Ohio (June 27) -- Jeg Coughlin Jr.'s weekend in his home state of 
Ohio finished  a tad sooner than the five-time world champion would have 
liked, but after  qualifying No. 1 on the Pro Stock grid and taking the early 
lead in the new  K&N Horsepower Challenge points, the Delaware, Ohio, 
resident was mostly  pleased with his quarterfinal finish.

The only racer to post a 6.5-second  run all weekend, a feat he 
accomplished in qualifying when he posted a 6.592 at  208.97 mph, Coughlin opened 
Sunday's action against No. 16 pro Justin Humphreys.  A late motor swap Saturday 
afternoon for the JEGS.com Chevrolet Cobalt team  added some drama to the 
race, but when the lights flashed it was Coughlin coolly  taking the victory 
with a 6.722 at 205.41 mph to Humphrey's 6.745 at 204.51  mph.

"Something was corrupt in the ignition box and we found the problem  last 
night so it turns out the motor wasn't the problem," Coughlin said. "It  
wasn't much of an issue either way because the guys at Victor Cagnazzi Racing  
only give us top-notch horsepower. Still, it was good to feel the car 
accelerate  when I dropped the clutch against Hump."

Up next was Greg Anderson, a  three-time NHRA champion who has mostly 
struggled this season. As is usually the  case, Coughlin got a jump on his 
opponent, leaving with a .029-second reaction  time to Anderson's .049-second 
launch, but this time Anderson was able to track  down Coughlin and win by a few 
feet. The final numbers had Anderson crossing in  6.713 at 204.85 mph to 
Coughlin's 6.749 at 205.38 mph.

"We knew Greg had  run pretty well in the first round (6.698) so we figured 
we needed to pick it up  a touch," said Coughlin, who turned 40 this week. 
"We over-adjusted by a hair  and our two-hundredths of a second advantage at 
the starting line turned into a  one-hundredth of a second loss at the top 
end.

"It was a big win for him  and a bummer for us, but that's drag racing."

Coughlin remains third in  the Full Throttle championship points.

The eliminations rounds of  the NHRA Norwalk Nationals will be shown in 
primetime Sunday on  ESPN2.

The NHRA tour takes a weekend off before heading to Seattle for  the 23rd 
annual NHRA Northwest Nationals, July 9-11 at Pacific  Raceways.

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